CANDABA -- It's an all systems go for the official opening of the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) Candaba campus as the brand new school building was unveiled to the public on Tuesday morning, September 8, 2020.
Mayor Rene Maglanque said the construction of the two-story building amounted to P28 million and was funded by the local government here.
"This is just the first phase of the construction of the campus as Governor Dennis Pineda and our congressman, Rimpy Bondoc, have also committed to donating school buildings," he said
He disclosed that Pineda is allocating P25 million for the construction of half of the school building, as well as the concreting of the walkways and parking lots in the campus and the whole of the local government compound.
Bondoc, for his part, pledged another school building and the construction of the gymnasium located behind the campus.
Maglanque said the opening of DHVSU in Candaba marked a historical moment for the municipality as it is the first tertiary-level educational institution to operate in town.
"I dreamt of this since my first term as mayor back in 2013, and it has now become a reality. I am positive many more dreams of both students and parents will also be realized through this facility," he said.
As a state university, DHVSU Candaba is providing free tuition and miscellaneous fees to all its students, both in undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
According to DHVSU Candaba Campus Director Jessie Manapsal, a total of eight undergraduate courses, namely Bachelor of Science in Business Administration majors in Marketing or Economics, Bachelor of Science and Entrepreneurship, Bachelor in Public Administration, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Bachelor of Secondary Education majors in Math or English and Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, as well as Master's Degree in Education are offered for the semester of this year.
As of Tuesday, a total of 540 students have enrolled in different undergraduate degrees and 75 in the masteral course, Manapsal said.
Meanwhile, the inauguration of the school building also coincided with the distribution of free tablets and uniforms to the students.
Maglanque said the local government allocated P7,000 for each student, in which P3,200 was used to purchasing the tablet, while the rest was used for the school uniform and cash grants.
He furthered that all 615 students received the gadgets, including the 51 who are not from this municipality.
"We wanted our students to have the most convenient as possible learning experience despite the special set-up. Our goal is to direct their focus on learning alone. We also hope that the parents will also help us in providing a good learning environment for the children," he said.